Cops: Cop with mental health issues commits suicide in FDR Park
A Lower Merion cop suffering from mental health issues committed suicide in his car in FDR Park this morning, according to police and Lower Merion officials.
Cops: Cop with mental health issues commits suicide in FDR Park
A Lower Merion cop suffering from mental health issues committed suicide in his car in FDR Park this morning, according to police and Lower Merion officials.
When Lower Merion Township Ofc. Sean Quinn, 46, did not show up for work as scheduled at 7 a.m. today, Superintendent Michael McGrath issued an alert to all area law enforcement agencies "out of an abundance of caution," according to a news release.
The release did not detail why Quinn's supervisors felt it necessary to notify other police departments that the officer was missing, but a city police spokeswoman said Quinn was believed to suffer from mental health issues.
Lower Merion Township public information officer Thomas Walsh declined to go in to detail regarding Quinn's mental state. He did, however, say the officer was not fired but just failed to show up for work.
Walsh said Quinn left his house after a fight with his wife Sunday night and did not return.
Quinn was last seen around 5:30 a.m. in Ardmore and last had contact with his family around 6:30 a.m. while he was in the Columbus Boulevard area, according to Lower Merion officials.
After Quinn's personal vehicle, a 2012 gray Ford Focus, was found at FDR park this morning, city police set up a perimeter around the park at Broad Street and Pattison Avenue in South Philadelphia, according to police.
Quinn was found inside the vehicle with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, according to a news release from Lower Merion Township.
Lower Merion police called Quinn, who also worked as a D.A.R.E officer, "a respected veteran of the force." Walsh said he was the father of three adult children.
"He was just a very well liked and a well-respected officer here," Walsh said. "His fellow officers are trying to absorb this."
According to his LinkedIn profile, Quinn had 25 years experience in law enforcement and was nearing retirement. He was working on building an Internet shopping business, according to his profile.
In a statement, Lower Merion police Superintendent Michael McGrath said: "The Lower Merion Police Department wishes to express its heartfelt condolences to Officer Quinn's family and friends and asks that they be kept in your thoughts and prayers as we all try to come to terms with this tragic event."
Huh - he's apparently not stable, but he was coming to work today? Someone in that Police Department needs to lose their job for allowing this to progress to this point - and it's not the poor guy with the issues.— PhillyDaniel- Nobody said that he wasn't stable. He had mental health "issues", which could be any number of things including stress, and brought on by any number of reasons that everyone can face--money, divorce, job problems, frustration, etc.
You don't know any particulars, yet you have decided that someone needs to be fired. Priceless.— Tatt2 - While I won't be quick to judge, if he had known "mental health issues", which may run in his family, why the Twp allowed him to walk around and carry a deadly weapon is beyond me.
Knowing this, it may be a "blessing" that he didn't target an innocent person.— Professor1982 - Professor1982 — So you think townships should decide people's mental health? Wow. You really think government hacks should be chiming in with their meaningless, unqualified, unprofessional opinion?
Do you think "townships" (what does that even mean?) currently have the legal right to revoke gun permits (hint: they don't)?
Typical Democrat mentality. The details don't matter. All you can think of are more ways for Big Brother to manage your life and that of other people.— URANIUM235 - URANIUM - LoL, I am by no means a Democrat...if you ever read any of my posts, you would see that. I also agree with you 110%.
Now, that being said, I was referring to the TWP's employment of police officers. If an employer (in this case a Twp) knowing places a party with known mental health issues in a position of authority (and armed), is that not grounds for massive liability?!?
THE ACLU attacks employers for discrimination...but what if the "discrimination" is necessary to protect the public???
You wont hear a peep from liberals here as this whole episode undermines their position that Govt should have authority to monitor the individual OR the Govt is always right.
— Professor1982 - Gee-whiz, man. You FINALLY say something that I agree with and that makes me think you might have slightly more intelligence than pond scum (your 13:52 comment), then you take three steps back by acting as if you don't know what is meant by the kind of discrimination for which the ACLU rightfully sues, and the kind of so-called "discrimination" that would allow a law enforcement entity to not allow a person with mental health issues to have a gun and the power of the state to use it. Sigh, the fool giveth, and the fool taketh away. — wb2nd
- Gee-whiz, man. You FINALLY say something that I agree with and that makes me think you might have slightly more intelligence than pond scum (your 13:52 comment), then you take three steps back by acting as if you don't know what is meant by the kind of discrimination for which the ACLU rightfully sues, and the kind of so-called "discrimination" that would allow a law enforcement entity to not allow a person with mental health issues to have a gun and the power of the state to use it. Sigh, the fool giveth, and the fool taketh away. — wb2nd
- Professor1982 — I don't know what you mean when you say "mental health issues." That could mean anything you want it to mean.
Does somebody who believes in God have "mental health issues" because they believe in an imaginary man who sits in the clouds and makes things happen on earth?
Does a father going through a difficult divorce and custody battle have "mental health issues?"
Does a person who was just diagnosed with cancer have "mental health issues?"
Does a cop whose daughter was just raped or murdered have "mental health issues?"
I don't know what that term means or why you think it is so easy to allow a layperson to subjectively invoke its vague meaning into some concrete policy of enforcement.
I just don't understand what such a policy means in terms of the details and I don't like people who use vague words to claim they thought of an ingenious solution when in fact they demonstrated that they have no idea what they are talking about.— URANIUM235 - I don't know, Tatt2. Do YOU think that stable people tend to blow their own brains out, in their car, in the middle of a public park? I know you cop-fellators take your obsessions seriously, but...well, seriously? — wb2nd
- They didn't say he was unstable here, but in the police circle they did. You don't set up a perimeter around a park and put out an APB on a cop who just has issues. Think about it.
You're right PhillyDaniel, he had mental health issues but he was expected at work that day as usual, somebody should be fired. Hey Tatt2? Cops who carry guns that have mental health issues should not be expected at work as usual. GET IT??— Kolitz - Poor guy...poor family. Sorry for your loss.
If it was known or believed that he suffered from "mental health issues" then how or why did he still have his gun? This may have been preventable. Just sad.— sporting-sue - How many other on duty "cops" with mental health issues are actively patrolling the streets?— g-bman
- Probably enough to send shivers up and down our collective spine. I mean, just look at the PPD these last couple of years. — wb2nd
- why does it seem like the ratio of cops with mental issues is higher than the general public?— KingOfPhilly
- Maybe it's because you don't know what you're talking about. Got any figures to back up your opinion?
Yeah, didn't think so.— Tatt2
